Skills Exploration: How to Conduct a Peer Review
Outcomes
8. Analyze a controversial historical event and compose an evidence-based, well-researched draft of an argumentative essay on the topic including a closed, argumentative thesis statement. Identify the elements of a good peer review process. (A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K)
How to Conduct a Peer Review
This module you are writing your rough drafts for your History Detective assignment. In the next module, you will all participate in peer review. Peer review is much more than reading your peers’ drafts and telling them how good (or bad) it is. It is also much more than copy editing the grammar and format of your peers’ work. Instead, peer review is a structured way to honestly share substantive feedback that will help your all create stronger, well-evidenced, and nuanced argumentative historical research papers. You don’t have to be conducting research on the same topic to complete a peer review. In fact, it is best if you know little or minimal about the subject of your peer’s paper as this will allow you to see areas where background and other content may need to be added for clarity.
The below is adapted from: Shackelford, Lynne. “Guidelines for Peer Response.” Furman University. Accessed November 17, 2018. https://furman.app.box.com/s/jofdyc3bh15dm7xb6uee.
Guidelines
Below are some guidelines for conducting a Peer Review. Keep these in mind as you complete your own rough drafts.
Responders
- You are an encourager who is helping the writer produce his/her best work.
- Consider the writing as a work in progress.
- Comment on the strengths of the work.
- Honestly share your suggestions on how the writer can improve the draft. Don’t merely compliment the work or avoid thoughtful critical responses. Do, however, be tactful.
- Be specific, concrete, and thorough in your responses. Examine content, organization, style, and mechanics.
- Don’t correct the draft, but point out lines where you see problems and look for patterns (for example, noting that the writer doesn’t use apostrophes to indicate possession or that the writer frequently uses a singular pronoun to stand for a plural pronoun, or that paragraphs lack unity).
- Share your major reactions in writing.
Writers
- Be open to response from peers. Don’t be overly sensitive or defensive. Recognize that the responder is trying to help you improve your writing.
- Listen to what your peers are saying by reading their comments carefully.
- Make sure you understand the responder’s comments. Ask for clarification if necessary.
- Remember that the writing is ultimately yours. You do not need to follow all of the responder’s suggestions. Use your judgement as to how to best use the responder’s feedback.
